Tag: personal-finance
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Are Trump Accounts Worth It for Your Kids? What We Know So Far, And What We Don’t.
Among the many changes in the tax code in the last year, one of the more interesting (and confusing) is the new addition of the so-called Trump Accounts. The goal of these accounts is to provide “long-term financial security for millions of children” in America. The question, at least for now, is how exactly these…
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What is changing to retirement accounts this year? Your 2026 Contribution Cheat Sheet.
Key Takeaways Defined Contribution Plans (401ks, 403b, 457, TSP, etc.) In 2025, those contributing to a company retirement account, like a 401k had certain contribution limits to stay within. For 401ks, the employee maximum contribution was $23,500 but increased to $24,500 in 2026. Historically, there has been a catch-up contribution available to earners over 50…
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Should I Convert My IRA to a Roth IRA this Year? How to Think Through Year-End Roth Conversions.
As the end of the year approaches, most people start to get a clear sense of how much income they will have for the year. If this year looks like a relatively low year for income, it may be worth exploring intentionally increasing your “total income”. While the reasons may differ from year to year,…
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Should you plan for Generosity? Three Reasons to Build Giving into Your Financial Plan.
For some people, financial generosity or giving can be a sore subject, but for others, it can be all that they talk about. Regardless of someone’s level of generosity, most people would tell you they prefer to be more generous. Even though most people’s “giving plan” is a reactive check when a friend or colleague…
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Should We Set Up a Trust for Tax Purposes? Death, Taxes, and the Trust That Could Solve Both.
Estate Planning is always a difficult but necessary step to complete in your financial plan. Couple that with major tax implications, and you will quickly see why it is important to keep your estate plan updated. Many owners and families often ask whether they need a trust. I have written about trusts before, but mainly…
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What Age Should I Retire? How to Adjust Your Financial Plan for Retirement.
Retirement is a highly personal concept. Some take the traditional route by leaving their 40-hour work week, while others try to work as long as possible. Retirement planning is less about that one day when you never work again; it’s more about what you are going to do in the future. While everyone retires at…
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What If I Don’t Want To Retire? 5 Reasons Why Retirement Planning Is Important Even If You Never Plan on Retiring.
Within the last 80 years, Americans created the modern version of what we call retirement. While the concept is still relatively new, there is some debate about what retirement should look like for most people. Some who are multi-decade workers would like to retire and never work again, while others claim to never stop working.…
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Where Do You Save My Money? The 3 Buckets of Tax-Smart Saving.
Savings, whether from profits or windfalls, must go somewhere. Once money is earmarked for savings, it should be allocated to one of three categories. While there are many reasons to save for a future expense, breaking down all savings into one of three tax buckets can help you better prepare for future goals. Three Tax…
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What About Capital Gains? 5 Strategies For Small Business Owners to Defer or Reduce Their Capital Gains.
Large capital gains are always something worth planning for. Especially after selling a business, tax years with large capital gains can feel particularly painful when the tax bill comes. Even though long-term capital gains are taxed at more favorable rates, there are still many planning opportunities to reduce the taxes even further. Capital Gains When…
TC Falkner 